NATO countries pledge to invest 5% of GDP annually in defense until 2035
NATO leaders have agreed on a final declaration, according to which they pledge to invest 5% of their country's GDP annually for basic defense needs.
This is stated in the final communiqué, Censor.NET reports.
Thus, the threshold of 5% of GDP of NATO countries was set by 2035 "to ensure the fulfillment of individual and collective obligations under Article 3 of the Washington Treaty."
"Our investments will provide us with the forces, capabilities, resources, infrastructure, readiness and resilience needed to deter and defend in accordance with our three core tasks: deterrence and defense, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security," the declaration reads.
This 5% commitment by NATO member states will include two main categories of defense investment
- Allocate at least 3.5% of GDP annually to meet core defense needs and to achieve NATO Targets;
- annually allocate up to 1.5% of GDP, among other things, to protect our critical infrastructure, secure networks, ensure civil preparedness and resilience, unleash innovation and strengthen the defense industrial base.
These points will be reviewed in 2029, taking into account the strategic environment and updated targets.
The declaration also emphasizes that NATO Allies reaffirm their continued sovereign commitment to support Ukraine and, to this end, will include direct contributions to Ukraine's defense and defense industry in their defense spending.
NATO Allies reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment to collective defense, as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty," that an attack on one is an attack on all.
